Most Wanted

This week's haul was not nearly as massive as last week's was, and I was able to narrow down my most anticipated issues to only two books. And under normal conditions, Grant Morrison writing a Joker story would be a no-brainer, but not this week.

Not a chance.

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #12
Warren Ellis
Stuart Immonen

I was standing in the store holding this and thought, "If the last panel of this issue doesn't have the Nextwave gang breaking the fourth wall and flipping off the reader, I'm gonna be a little upset."

Well, I doesn't have that, but it does have two reveals that are so frecin' AWESOME that the dial goes to 11. Or 12, probably. Seriously, this thing is INSANE! And in the best possible way.

Not to spoil anything, but this wraps up (of course) the gang's infiltration of the H.A.T.E. / S.I.L.E.N.T. super-base and dealing with the bosses who have been in charge of everything since the first issue. That's it in a nutshell, but like every issue of Nextwave, the Devil's in the details. (You see what I did there?) Before it's all over (ARRGGHHH!), we get The Captain kicking balls, a 6-foot champagne flute, a Monica smirk that screams "Yep. You're fucked.", and Machine Man making with the sexy. And lots of 'splosions. Lots and lots of 'splosions.

I can't believe it's over. Kind of, anyway (I know, I know). Hell of a ride. Hell of an ending.

Most Wanted Panel:


(This isn't, of course, the panel that should be here.. but I'm keeping this thing spoiler free. You're welcome)

Most Wanted

Wow! Was this ever quite the week! It's been a long time since I bought so many books (a whopping 17!), and judging by the crowd at my local comic store, it was a big week for everyone. Chatting with the owner, he guessed it was a combination of January having a 5-Wednesday month, Civil War's delay has finally caught up all the cross-overs, and that Stephen King thing.

Like I do every week, I mentally sort the books into "new stories," "continuing a story arc - I should probably re-read the last issue," "this looks interesting," "Oh Yeah, Baby!" and "MUST READ NOW!" Strangely enough, the comics I am most looking forward to aren't in the last category; ever since I was a kid, I've savored the anticipation of the really good ones and usually read them last. That way, I always have something to look forward to when I'm slogging through an issue of say, Justice League. (since dropped)

To go with the theme here at The Want List, I'm going to change that. I'm going to read my most looked forward to issue first, after I get them in my grubby li'l hands.

(This also saves me the trouble of writing about all the comics I get on a particular week and, especially after this busy week, that appeals to my lazy nature. More drinking time. Besides, there are comic bloggers out there who do a much, MUCH better job than I could ever do in that area. See the links to the right for examples.)

This was a tough week for Most Wanted, but the unexpected arrival of one made me gasp a bit, and it jumped to the top:

Fell #7
Warren Ellis
Ben Templesmith

What has it been? 9 months? Seems like it.

In fact, it's been so long that I was jarred by the cover: isn't Fell a black and white book? The delay was for coloring? I had completely forgotten that it wasn't - a combination of the delay, my memory, and that the comic is typically very dower and muted in it's colors. That cover just "popped" and I didn't expect it.

Another great done-in-one all-interrogation issue, which is how I like my Fell. Great dialogue from Ellis and a slightly different art feel from Templesmith - very intentionally trippy at times, and it pushes the story nicely. This issue has a great "rising, crescendo, fall to Earth" roller-coaster like feel to it, and when it finally hits bottom, you really want to punch someone. At least I did. My dogs are in the other room, cowering.

Although, I must admit I was amazed that Ellis didn't add to the "eating pizza alone for three days" thing. You know what I'm talking about. With the tub? Heck, Ennis would've...

(I almost said, "With the tub girl?" but then I though about the Google ramifications.)

...

(Oh, heck.)

Like all issues of Fell, you get a lot more than the page count. Amazing work, and I hope this issue's delay doesn't forbode bad things for it. I love this title.

Most Wanted Panel: